I’m back from the dead! Or at least, back from an unplanned blog hiatus.

Posts will be short and sweet for the next few weeks. In the meantime, check out my new review of the post-apocalyptic novel, Plague Year.

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Before I had the courage to call myself a writer I would feel guilty about reading. I thought I should have spent that time getting done something productive and not be ’selfish’.

When I started calling myself a writer I realized it became a part of my job description to read as much as possible, especially novels that I enjoyed. I realized that I MUST make time for reading because reading will make me a better writer and good reading always makes me excited to write.

There’s a great phobia that solves any and all problems with finding time to read:

Abibliophobia: having the morbid fear of running out of reading material

Suggested Usage: “Jamie is such an abibliophobe that she NEVER leaves the house without a novel tucked into her purse – otherwise the world may end.”

Suggested Usage: “Jamie is such an abibliophobe she included the word in the ABOUT Jamie Thornton section of the blog.”

Allow me to count the ways in which I am an abibliophobe:

• • • I will choose a purse to take with me based on the size of the book I’m currently reading.
    • The side slots in my car doors contain at least one novel.
    • If I’m going on a roadtrip that number increases to at least five (and that’s five on top of what I’ve managed to pack in my purse and other bags).
    • Some people can’t get away for a weekend without packing 10 pairs of shoes. I’ll decide to wear only the flip-flops on my feet in order to make room for another book in my bag.
    • My To-Be-Read pile is four stacks at least three feet high.
    • I’ve been known to sacrifice water bottle room in my hiking pack to make room for a novel I just might get the urge to read.
    • I’ve been known to bring a book, or two (or three) to family dinners.
    • Going to the movies? Need a book to read before the movie starts.
    • Even if I was willing to purchase The Kindle, I would still carry around a backup novel just in case the batteries ran out, I cracked the screen, or someone set off an EMT.
    • If I absolutely could not fit a novel in whatever purse I was taking, I still print out an article and fold it like crazy until it fits.
    • If folding it like crazy still won’t make it fit, I’ve been known to stuff my husband’s pockets instead.

The above list is what I’ve managed to brainstorm in about five minutes. Thank goodness reading is now a part of my job description.

If you’re interested in feeding your own reading habit, check out my post on:

Do You Library? How to Read 291,000 Books Before You Die

I’ve allowed the fear of rejection to keep me from writing these last few weeks. A recent post on Write To Done came at just the right time: Stephen King’s greatest lesson for writers.

Writers must battle the fear of the blank page, and then, the fear that no one will recognize the book is worthy to be published. I’m sure there are more fear roadblocks, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten in the publishing process so far :)

When I stop writing for more than a few days it’s not because of a lack of ideas, but because I’m spending too much time thinking about the business of writing and not actually writing (or reading). Then I read something like the post on Write To Done or the post on Crime Fiction Dossier to write a great book and I remember, “A writer is a person who writes.”

I love reading posts that inspire people to continue writing, especially when it includes quotes from one of my favorite authors. Check out Stephen King’s On Writing for more. It’s part autobiography and part lesson book for aspiring writers. It’s one of the best books on writing I’ve yet read, and I’m not just saying that because The Stand is in my top ten list.

Even though writing is a solitary endeavor, it helps to know other writers (published or unpublished) experience fears similar to my own. Not sure why that’s such a comfort. Maybe it’s a mix of ‘misery loves company’ and ‘I am not alone’ — two sides of the same coin?